The .PRO Discussion

[InvisionTech]

It seems .PRO is slowly coming out of the cage with cheaper reg prices than they were a year ago and major registrars like netsol taking notice of the extension and promoting it.

Here are some that I picked up in last couple of days:

Alexandria.pro

Anchorage.pro

Arlington.pro

Belfast.pro

Birmingham.pro

Budapest.pro

Durham.pro

Fairfax.pro

Italian.pro

Lisbon.pro

Fire away with your regs after the relaunch on September 8th, 2008.

 

[Edward Smeu]

BigJelly said it well, not much to add here.

I just wanna thank sdsinc for his post, that's the way to go.

Also, regarding MG, he's a very good domainer really pissed off at things sometimes (though I don't know him)

 

[JoeBiz]

Also, regarding MG, he's a very good domainer really pissed off at things sometimes (though I don't know him)

I like him. Wish he was here.

 

[sky]

Good question. "What is your point ???"

"Do you keep pounding the point that pro is not .COM to hurt people's feelings? To gloat? To feel like you have something to say without impunity?"

I've asked the same question and the response(s) read like they were lifted from the Book of MicroGuy. I don't understand why they're here either. I was on the dot Me forum a long while back and got into heated discussions but that was a Me vs Pro discussion. On the other hand I have no financial or personal interest in Mobi, Me, Info, Biz, WS and a hundred others so I spend no time on those forums.

Ugh... I meant to say "with impunity" not "without impunity". Oh well, that's what I get (or what you all get :cy: ), when I post from my iPhone with the "tapatalk" forum app (e.g. small data entry window), or when I'm tired.

But yeah - whatever. As long as the .PRO registry and the TLD's name-resolution doesn't evaporate, and Google ranks it according to keyword and content, AFAIK, there's no downside to owning .PRO at all. I believe .PRO has a stature unlike ccTLDs and many others. It ranks in some super-category along with .COM, .ORG, .NET, etc... I forgot what that's all about, but just that it is a 'serious contender' in some Internet-wonk esoterica sense.

The value of .PRO just depends on what you want to do, how much you have to gamble, and how long you're willing to wait. Maybe it will never grow, or maybe one owner of the registrar will go broke or bow out, and someone else will manage it better. If a registrant doesn't need to re-sell a .PRO quickly or for a high-price, and just wants to cultivate SEO for site development around a .PRO, no problem whatsover, because, if nothing else it has a nice aesthetic.

Also, Name.com and other registrars recently started selling .PRO, so that *has* to increase visibility at least somewhat and it will take time to reflect in the officially posted registration numbers. And some of the registrars who have recently taken on .PRO make it clearer than other registrars I'd seen previously, that it isn't difficult to get legit with .PRO. That should bypass some of the former confusion for the causal lurker who may have otherwise been reluctant to get on board. I mean what was required was confusing even to us domainers on WoPo. Now I'm confident that owning an LLC and registering under that state lic. # is satisfactory.

I can afford to wait at least a few more years with my best .PRO keyword regs, even if they never make any money. Otherwise, I could just sell them and bet on the money presidential election on In*Trade. On second thought I think hanging on to the domains is a better gamble; or at least more satisfying.

 

[Kate]

...
I bought gold when it was $430 an ounce. There were naysayers galore on the metal forums. They told us that hell would freeze over before gold crossed $500. Gold is $1764 as I write this and was $1775 earlier today. I bought silver at $7.00. Today it's hanging around $34. And I'd bet that the same naysayers are still on the metal forums screaming that gold will never see $2,000.

These are comparisons that don't make sense. Gold is a commodity with a market that is backed by global demand.
Can't say the same about domain names, especially in emerging extensions.
For the more established extensions there is a market for 1% of the supply perhaps, and the liquidity is low anyway.
Gold is always worth something, but prices can fluctuate. OTH there isn't a buyer for every .pro domain. In fact, even .com cannot be compared to gold.
Today's reality vs dreams.

I'll never forget reading all of the bull that was written about gold and silver. And I'll never forget what you guys are saying about Pro. And I'm sure I won't be hearing from you if Pro becomes successful.

And if .pro doesn't becomes successful shall we hear from you again ?

 

[Edward Smeu]

This got boring again. People see what they wanna see and nothing else. That comes both ways.

sdsinc, you shall hear from me anyway

 

[webdomain]

Won't take long for .pro to get some focus when you start seeing articles like this. http://www.inc.com/jeremy-quittner/new-domain-suffixes.html

Realize that other extensions are being talked about here. But this is what gets business thinking about the alternates. .pro is an awesome alternate without the type of confusion that you get between .co and .com! You develop a .com your going to lose 1/3'rd your traffic and sales to .com for all your efforts. That is a drag!

Afilias should start defining .pro brand as a unique and stable business property imho.

 

[Edward Smeu]

Looks like Afilias won't have another .pro auction this year but they are planning it for the 1st quarter of 2013 (being told that by their marketing manager). Let's see if all the waiting will be worth it.

 

[-EM-]

And a lot of money was made. Go.pro sold for $40,000. But that was more of a test than it was a promotion. To promote dot Pro they will first need to become a Pro registrar.

Can you think any reason why they didn't continue on .pro, as I see only one?

Please show me where Pro value "is so much claimed in this thread." Obviously you mean multiple posts.

I was referring to the value. It is obvious you and others think .pro has so much value, but currently no "big" registrars are interested in this gTLD.

Won't take long for .pro to get some focus

Why? When? There are hundreds of new gTLDs out of there that will want to get some focus too.

 

[mwzd]

It is obvious you and others think .pro has so much value,

From an ROI standpoint? Absolutely. In absolute terms when compared even to .org? Not as much. It's all relative.

but currently no "big" registrars are interested in this gTLD.

Resellerclub has over 100k resellers worldwide and they just included .pro

Am sure eventually most of the big guys will join party.

Why? When? There are hundreds of new gTLDs out of there that will want to get some focus too.

I think when new tlds are introduced, people will get more used to seeing stuff other than .com on the right of the dot and that will be a good thing for .pro - since it's one of the most popular prefixes/suffixes out there.

 

[webdomain]

Afilias seems to be slowly bringing in new registrars. .Pro has an incredible leg up on new gtlds. The cool thing is that .pro is actually a great extension too and people generally like it.

Another thing is that .pro has a proven track record that they can build on and grow. Hopefully all this continues to work in our favor. Thanks STP on the auction update..let us know more if you hear anything.

 

[Kate]

I think when new tlds are introduced, people will get more used to seeing stuff other than .com on the right of the dot and that will be a good thing for .pro - since it's one of the most popular prefixes/suffixes out there.

That's the theory. But I think the argument while reasonable is flawed because there are plenty of TLDs already, and consumers only assimilate a few. The proof is that when you go register a domain a dozen TLDs including .biz .info .tv .cc and the like are featured in suggestions. I bet the average person doesn't remember all of them.

I would say that outside the US, people are more open as to the right of the dot but they expect to see their ccTLD.

I don't think the track record (history) is going to make any difference really.
.me was created in 2006 and quickly took off due to smart marketing. It started from scratch.
I am not mentioning .co because .co is 20 years old. But within a global context it could be said it started from scratch too.

 

[mjnels]

That's the theory. But I think the argument while reasonable is flawed because there are plenty of TLDs already, and consumers only assimilate a few.

because they see them as inferior or "couldnt get the .com" TLD's... this has been changing slowly and will likely change even more with an onslaught of new TLD's (way different than just 1 per year).. i really think there is a HUGE difference of releasing 1,000 TLD's in a year compared to just 1. it will not make the chances of success better for any particular TLD - in fact with competition it will be statistically more difficult in some areas i'd imagine but one of the main hurdles alternate TLD's face right now is being seen as "the couldnt get the .com TLD" and with the existence of unlimited amounts comes exposure and eventually acceptance..

The proof is that when you go register a domain a dozen TLDs including .biz .info .tv .cc and the like are featured in suggestions. I bet the average person doesn't remember all of them.

i think it will eventually become irrelevant to remember all or any of them - whether they're successful as a whole or not. it would be like trying to keep track of all the possible area codes, we just accept it as part of a phone #..

 

[webdomain]

What's up with the warning above this thread! Doesn't feel that offensive to me.

 

[Kate]

i really think there is a HUGE difference of releasing 1,000 TLD's in a year compared to just 1. it will not make the chances of success better for any particular TLD

Completely agree. I think the established TLDs will even be reinforced, but those that are struggling today will not suddenly become more fashionable as a result. My point is that just because .pro had a headstart is not a decisive advantage, because growth has been sluggish in a context of limited competition. The future is going to bring real contenders to the game. Things like .inc .ltd .corp and the like, I don't know. But if .me or .co could outnumber .pro so quickly, you clearly can't rest on your laurels.

it would be like trying to keep track of all the possible area codes, we just accept it as part of a phone #..

Interesting analogy. But area codes are all equal, unlike domain extensions. The exception would be for vanity numbers and the 800 area code which is the .com of toll-free, like 888 would be .net and 855 .biz. But 404 isn't superior to 307 or 954. It just depends on where you live. A tad like ccTLDs in fact :gl:

 

[-EM-]

since it's one of the most popular prefixes/suffixes out there.

If so, why it is left aside from domainers/endusers/registrars?
Why lots of countries do not even know about its existence?

I think you are expecting too much from this TLD, more than the registry itself :p

 

[Edward Smeu]

erandi, "PRO" it's one of the most popular prefixes/suffixes out there as mwzd stated. Do you disagree with that?

As I already said more than once, it's all about putting it AFTER the dot.

And remember that until not long ago there were some drastic restrictions about this extension which ruined it's popularity.

 

[sky]

erandi, "PRO" it's one of the most popular prefixes/suffixes out there as mwzd stated. Do you disagree with that?

As I already said more than once, it's all about putting it AFTER the dot.

And remember that until not long ago there were some drastic restrictions about this extension which ruined it's popularity.

You can't win this one. What happens next is speculation. Some people just get off saying "But it's not .COM., .COM is king!'. They can also say their dad can beat up your dad, or light a bag of poop on your doorstep and run away. It's all just beating a dead horse at this point.

You can argue it either way. You can say .PRO has good aesthetics; that it's gradually increasing its visibility and availability, point out that people are gradually warming up to alternatives, and that the TLD rush will turn all previous dogma about domaining on its head.

Or you can say with a degree of certainty .PRO will never be as successful or as valuable as .COM, point at the self-defeating rules that the registry beset the TLD with, cite poor sales , low reg count, lack of development in the TLD, its flat trajectory, and say .PRO doomed.

At this point I wouldn't trust anyone who says .PRO is dead any more than I'd trust anyone who says .PRO is heir to the .COM throne. It's all just gazing into the crystal ball. The only thing I feel confident in is that the fate .PRO isn't sealed yet.

As long as the registry exists, the TLD resolves, Google ranks it and it it sounds cool, I'm happy with it. The rest is all a gamble, like the stock market.

 

[mwzd]

...and consumers only assimilate a few.

Web surfers are getting more aware of different extensions, anyone buying a domain today is well aware of the 'options', both currently available and those soon to come.

I bet the average person doesn't remember all of them.

The average person also doesn't buy domains in the aftermarket.

I would say that outside the US, people are more open as to the right of the dot but they expect to see their ccTLD.

But keep in mind that the US now represents only about 15% of online users.

Which means 85% of online users are well aware of stuff on the right of the dot and open to using them as well.

.me was created in 2006 and quickly took off due to smart marketing. It started from scratch.

Aside from the top 300 or so action verbs, which were 'snapped' up by big investors during the premium auctions, which .me domains are really providing huge ROI?

And given the choice between the two, I'd go for a .pro over a .me any day of the week.

Why lots of countries do not even know about its existence?

I started my first ecommerce store in 1998, lot of people didn't know what the internet was back then.

If you prefer to enter a mature market, you'll pay someone for opportunity cost - case in point is .com

I think you are expecting too much from this TLD, more than the registry itself :p

I don't expect anything from any TLD, I have also invested in .im... what I do expect something from is the keyword(s) on the left of the dot to provide the required impetus to give me great ROI.

I think it would be smart if you focused on your own monetization / earning strategy instead of trying to figure out someone else's system with partial information.

 

[-EM-]

I started my first ecommerce store in 1998, lot of people didn't know what the internet was back then.

Aham, good point, once the future was internet, now it is .pro?

I don't expect anything from any TLD, I have also invested in .im... what I do expect something from is the keyword(s) on the left of the dot to provide the required impetus to give me great ROI.

That is not true. Since you choose a specific TLD (not just taking random TLDs), makes you expecting a market for that TLD. The left side of the dot is just the specific value of the TLD. I think you are confusing these things.

I think it would be smart if you focused on your own monetization / earning strategy instead of trying to figure out someone else's system with partial information.

I am already focused elsewhere, domaining is just for fun

 

[Edward Smeu]

Can't understand you erandi, you're way off here, not rational just being a bully.

BTW, how did it go with that torrent.ws name you were selling or those double hyphenated dot coms? BTW, I remember Torrent.pro being snapped for mid xxx (not sure if that's accurate).

But thanks for making this thread one of the BIGGEST on NP. Are you having fun?